What do Indian Motorcycle Customers Want?

India is precisely the second largest two-wheeler market in the world. Sources deliver that India may become the no. 1 motorcycle player any time soon by beating down the current champion, China. If so India becomes the best bi-wheeler industry in the world, will the customer be happy with that? The reply can be diverted as may be and may not be.



What all the Indian customers need are reliable, fuel efficient, good looking and affordable bikes.

It is very hard to find many motorcycle brands that produce reliable bikes which last long. Most of the present generation bi-wheelers are equipped with cheap quality plastic and less-priced fiber body parts. The major reason the companies find to answer this is to hold the price limit. When the manufacturers find no other way than using cheap quality materials to cut down the pricing, the machines are getting lost their quality once they had. It severely causes the life of a motorcycle. At present Royal Enfield is the only motorcycle brand that produces 100% reliable bikes. Being mated with highly reliable metal parts the machine is supposed to have a very long life. Well, RE has been proving since its birth.



Thank God! Indian motorcycle industry is very much blessed with tons of fuel efficient motorcycles. As much as 90 kmpl is even possible as Bajaj offers it on Platina. Since fuel efficiency is a key factor to select a bike, companies don't compromise to fire more fuel. Even 150cc machines that gives back 65 kmpl mileage are available in the market.

We can't expect stunning looks in all category machines. The commuter class bikes usually don't have aggressive design as that of the sportmachines have. Still a decent appearance is mandatory for each and every class two-wheelers. The Indian two wheeler industry was hanging fed up with the seen bike designs. With the introduction of Yamaha Fazer, FZ, and the R15, Yamaha shuffled the bubbles of the market. These mini machines, which are inspired from their elder siblings indeed made a revolution in the industry.



As a bike is coupled with reliability, fuel efficiency, good look, it also must be affordable for the masses. If a two wheeler has all the qualities and is priced beyond the price range of affordability, it would be hard for the manufacturers to clear out the stocks from the dealerships. It doesn't mean a highly featured or a premium motorcycle should be priced very low, but the pricing must be reasonable.

Not in the list but the final feature that every bike manufacturer ought to have is a big production plant. There must be least delivery delay for the customer. Making anyone to wait longer for a bike may lead the customer to choose some other machines in the same class. So production up to booking is a must. Still, there is an exception, Royal Enfield. It is the luckiest brand in this class. Because, even if a long waiting period is given to the customer, he is only supposed to do so. The reason is that RE is the only such of brand in the world. Of course, it is dictatorship and RE is enjoying it.

Hero Motocorp that parted from its erstwhile partner, Honda must be careful in future days. Because, Honda has challenged the firm that Honda would become the no. 1 motorcycle seller in the country by 2016. That would be a great tragedy if it happens. To avoid that blow Hero must move bit more calculated. The firm must unveil new models rather than renovating the excising machines in regular intervals of time eyeing the mass market. At the same time, the company should roll out high-end motorcycles. The current flagship bike of Hero, the Karizma ZMR is not up to the mark to compete with its rivals. Hero must place a stunning and performing flagship machine that can chase down the rivals quiet easily. Hero certainly lacks a good flagship model that can directly fight against the Yamaha R15, Honda CBR 150R, and Bajaj Pulsar 200NS. Moreover, Hero is way back in the scooter industry. Scooters, the Maestro and the Pleasure is not hitting the way Honda and Yamaha does. The major drawback of both the Maestro and the Pleasure is their average appearance. A renovation or a third scooter can rise up the firm from the issue.

Bajaj Auto is a great motorcycle company as far as its mass successes are concerned. Still, the company doesn't produce any quality products. All machines have the same least reliability. The result is short life span, high maintenance and low resale value. So Bajaj should consider an excellent machine with better body cowls and a long-life engine.

What the Indian industry really lacks is a real opponent for the cult brand Royal Enfield. The only brand considered above RE is the ultra luxury bi-wheeler manufacturer, Harley Davidson. Well, HD is much above priced and not at all affordable for masses. So some motorcycles in the same classes that RE sells must come out from any other brands. HD can come up with affordable India-built motorcycles. Even Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha which have tradition in cruiser motorcycle segment can develop special cruisers for masses in the country.

So hear motorcycle companies, whatever machines you make which are run on two wheels, make sure that they have reliability, fuel efficiency, good look, and affordability.